31 Months

That is how long some of the families in the blogs that I follow have had their files logged in to China. I found some of the families through links on our agency's website so they are mostly from my province. I lurk on these blogs because following families adopting from China is fascinating to me. I can relive all the emotions while reading their posts. When the referrals come and when they receive their babies I cry with them, although they don't know it! (I never comment on them because it seems to me that they would feel that it's just not fair for me to comment when I am home with my girl - it's not because I'm snobby.) After reading their blogs for 2 years + I feel as though I know them and it breaks my heart that they are waiting so darn long for their children. They are the most patient, loving people around. These people just want a baby. 31 months logged in doesn't even include the approximately 6 months prior which included home studies and fingerprinting and reams of paperwork from the good ol' government. We were logged in for 13 months only and that was an eternity to me. 31 months is 1 year, 6 months longer than our 13 month wait. We had Jade home with us for 1 year, 6 months at 31 months.
I hope to soon start reading about referrals and trips to China. These people have waited far, far too long.

Doll of the Month

I have written before about my friend Marcia who designed the sweet little dolls Jade is laying with in the picture below.

Now Marcia's daughter Angelina has designed HER own line of dolls. They are the sweetest dolls and you can see them here. I ordered a March one for Jade for Christmas. *Shhh* Don't tell her!

When we adopted Jade Marcia's family was in our group adopting their twins Angelina and Christalina. We don't see them often enough even though they only live an hour away. Below is a picture of Jade with the girls last summer. Don't ask me which one is which because I cannot tell them apart!!

To Elaborate on the Previous Post

I truly believe that I am a mom. Just a mom. I am a mom because I gave birth. I am a mom because I adopted a baby. I am proud to say I am an adoptive mom. Because it means I am a mom. I wanted to be a mom more than anything and for quite a while I was sure I was never going to be a mom. I don't care if you say I'm an adoptive mom, or a fat mom, or a bad mom, or a fun mom, or a crazy mom. I AM A MOM. I prayed month after month after month to be a mom. I cried month after month after month when I wasn't going to be a mom. I rejoice daily in how I arrived at being a mom. I stress to both kids how I fell in love with them the minute I laid eyes on them. So, to elaborate on my last post, there are some people who find that being labelled an "adoptive parent" or that their children are "adopted" is offensive (it comes across that way to me anyway) I am not one of those people. I think it's wonderful that my daughter was adopted. I would never tell her that I "forget" that she was the adopted one because I LOVE her story. I don't want her to be ashamed that she was adopted I want her to be thrilled that she was adopted. I have no problem with being labelled an Adoptive Mom. I am a mom. And that is all I wanted to be......So go ahead and call me an adoptive mom and I will remember that wonderful day that I became a mom again and I will be thankful that adoption exists and is going strong and making families out of just people...people needing children and children needing families.

Sad Story

The tragic story of the Chap*man family is on many minds today. I cannot imagine how their son is feeling. My heart breaks for the entire family, but especially for this young man who must be devasted far beyond what is imaginable. I cried when I watched the video...for the loss of a little girl....

Anyway, one thing I noticed when reading many blogs was that there was no outcry about Maria being "adopted" It was noted on the family's blog that she was one of 6 children - one of the 3 who were adopted. Usually these kind of comments cause some people a lot of stress....like it's shameful to be an adopted child/adoptive parent because you did not come of the family "naturally" (meaning by birth). I have not come across one irate person claiming that the child should have just been listed as one of 6 children. Stop. at. that. Is it because the little girl is gone so let's not cause any more stress. Or is it because it's finally ok to be "labelled" as adopted.

Anyway, that is just what I was wondering today as I thought about Maria and how her adoption story is just as important as her brother's birth story is and how every story should be celebrated as it is. How she came to belong to her family is her story and as long as she belonged with that family who the H#*& cares how she got there.

And it was nice to have a day where there was no controversy on the whole "I can't believe they said she was adopted...." thing